Folding table

ABSTRACT

A folding table comprising four legs carrying a upper table-top provided with longitudinal side members, characterized by the fact that each pair of legs of a transverse side of the table are securely braced together at their upper ends by a transverse beam and wherein this unit comprising said two legs and the bracing beam is pivotally linked by means of coaxial pins to said tabletop in close proximity to its adjacent transverse side, between said table-top and each unit being provided releasable locking devices adapted for locking said parts one to another in their operative mutual position, said locking devices being provided with means for moving in unison the locking means associated to a pair of legs into or out of their operative engagement.

[ NOV. 5, 1974 I FOLDING TABLE [75] Inventor: Giancarlo Piretti,Bologna, Italy [73] Assignee: Anonima Castelli S.A.S. di Cesare Castelli& C0., Bologna, Italy 122] Filed: Sept. 14, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 289,137

[52] US. Cl. 108/131, 248/188 [51] Int. Cl A47b 3/08 [58] Field OfSearch .1 108/132, 131,133,129; 248/188; 297/60 [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 2,204,081 6/1940 Harrell 108/129 2,232,205 2/1941Boardman 297/60 2,805,906 9/1957 Hoven et a1. 108/129 3,017,153 l/1962Johnson I 248/188 3,033,630 5/1962 Mugler 108/129 3,255,721 6/1966Peterschmidt 108/111 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 428,289 5/1935Great Britain 108/129 752,l08 9/1933 France 108/131 PrimaryExaminer-Paul R. Gilliam Assistant Examiner-Darrell Marquette Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Allen D. Brufsky [57] ABSTRACT A folding table comprisingfour legs carrying a upper table-top provided with longitudinal sidemembers, characterized by the fact that each pair of legs of atransverse side of the table are securely braced together at their upperends by a transverse beam and wherein this unit comprising said two legsand the bracing beam is pivotally linked by means of coaxial pins tosaid table-top in close proximity to its adjacent transverse side,between said table-top and each unit being provided releasable lockingdevices adapted for locking said parts one to another in their operativemutual position, said locking devices being provided with means formoving in unison the locking means associated to a pair of legs into orout of their operative engagement.

1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures FOLDING TABLE The invention relates tofolding tables which have four legs supporting a table-top.

The present invention provides a folding table comprising a table-top towhich the legs are pivotally linked in pairs so that each pair of legscan be turned up to bring said pair of legs in abutment against thelower surface of the table-top so that in the folded position of thepairs of legs the table occupies little space.

The carrying structure of the table-top is thus constituted of two pairsof legs, the legs of each pair being braced together at their upper endsby a cross bar and wherein each pair of legs is pivotally linked inclose proximity to the adjacent transverse side of the tabletop about apivot axis parallel to said table-top side, between said pair of legsand the table-top being provided releasable locking means provided forlocking said parts in their operative mutual position. After looseningsaid locking means each pair of legs can be pivoted up to bring theminto contact with the lower surface of said table'top; for such apurpose the longitudinal sides of the table-top must be at least twicelonger than the length of the legs.

It is well known that a topical problem of the pieces of furnitureconsists in the necessity to reduce to the minimum the spaces occupiedby said pieces or by their containers in order to limit their transportand storin charges.

Another problem consists in the necessity of making easy their assemblyand disassembly in order that such operations can be performed by commonworkers and even by the user himself who sometimes could be compelled todiassemble the table in order to put it away or to mount it again atanother location or room.

The present invention solves said problems by the provision of a foldingtable including mechanisms adapted to co-ordinate the movements of theparts and to force them to take the mutual desired angular positions, assaid parts pass from their folded positions to their use positions andvice versa, performing the movements in a speedy manner and withoutrequiring the use of any tool or the application of any removable fixingmeans, as screws and the like, which can be easily lost, ensuring at thesame time a correct stability to the table in its use position.

The invention is hereinafter particularly described, by way of exampleonly, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a side view of the table in its fully erected position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the table during the unfolding step;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the upper portion of one ofthe legs and of the table-top, partly broken away, taken along a planeperpendicular to the pivot axis of a pair of legs, in the case whereinsaid legs are rectangular in cross section;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross section of one of the upper beams connectinga pair of legs and wherein at the inner side of said beam can be seenthe end portion of one of the longitudinal members integral with thetabletop;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the corner portion of the table-top and of theparts of leg connected thereto;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3, but concerning a secondembodiment of the linkage system which is suited to be used as the tablelegs have a circular or the like cross section;

FIG. 7 is a top view of the corner portion of the table, shown in FIG.6, where the table-top is partly broken away in order that the devicesand parts positioned below can be seen.

Since the two embodiments shown in the drawings are operativelyidentical, except few particulars, similar parts are indicated bysimilar reference numbers and only one of the two embodiments will behereinbelow described.

The folding table of the present invention comprises a tabletop 1 madeof any suitable material and to which are made integral two longitudinalbox-like metal members 2 so that the cavities at their ends can receiveinserted pieces 3, wherein are arranged link members and the lockingmeans which are supported by the body 1, 2; said inserted pieces 3 canbe shaped by means of a die-casting process. The other link membersdesigned to co-operate with the link members arranged in the pieces 3 ofthe linkage system are each arranged in an inserted metal piece 4 whichis also obtained by a die-casting process, said piece 4 being fixed atthe upper end of each leg 5 in any suitable manner; also the legs 5 arepreferably constituted of metal tubular bodies, which can have arectangular (FIGS. -1 to 5), circular (FIGS. 6 and 7) or any othersuitable cross section. The pieces 4 together with the associated legs 5of each pair of legs are securely braced together by a horizontal metalbeam 6, preferably of a box-like type.

The main characteristics of this folding table concern the linkagesystems of the pairs of legs 5 to the tabletop 1 and the locking devicesassociated therewith. On I this purpose each inserted piece 3 carries alever pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 7, the axis of which is parallelto the linkage axis of the adjacent pair of legs 5, while the pins 7 ofthe levers co-operating with said pair of legs 5 are coaxial one toanother, said lever being connected together so as to be moved inunison.

The end 8 of the lever arm 8a of each lever has a hook configuration soas to be able to engage a similarly shaped end 9 of the piece 4, inwhich is also arranged a link member pivotally connected to acooperating Iink member arranged in piece 3, by a pin 10, the axis ofsaid pin 10 being parallel to the common axis of the pins 7, said pin 10being in its turn coaxial with a similar pin 10, by means of which thepiece 4 mounted at the upper end of the other leg 5 of the same pair, ispivotally linked to the adjacent piece 3. The other arm 8b of each leveris under the action of a strong spring 11, anchored at 12 to the piece3, said spring 11 being so positioned as to tend to maintain the hookedheads 8 and 9 into their mutual operative engagement in the usepositions of the partsof the folding table. The arms 8a of both thelocking devices provided to lock each pair of legs 5 are bracedtogetherby a transverse bar 13 (FIGS. 2, 3 to 7) which passes below thetable-top I so that it is concealed from view, said bar being providedwith a gripping tab 14 or the like at at least one intermediate point.

As the table is in its use position (FIGS. 1, 3 and 6), the strongsprings 11 maintain firmly engaged to each other the hooked heads 8 and9 of both locking devices which cooperate with each pair of legs so thatthe table acts as a single body.

When the table has to be folded for storage purpose or the like so thatit occupies a minimum space, each tab 14 is depressed against theresistance of the return springs 11 of the associated locking devices soas to cause the lowering of the bar 13 and, as a result thereof, therotation in unison of the arms 8a of the said levers about the axis ofthe pins 7, the inner walls of the pieces 3 being provided with annularfents 15 allowing the travelling of the ends of the bar 13. Subsequentlyto the lowering of the hooked heads 8a against the bias of theassociated springs 11, each unit 4, 5 and 6 can be freely turned aboutthe axis of the coaxial pins 10 (FlG. 5) up to bring the whole unit intocontact with the lower surface of the table-top 1. Of course, the upperedge 4a of each piece 4 is so shaped that during the rotation of saidunit, said edge 4a can slide in contact with the facing surface of thetable-top 1. Further said upper edge 4a is provided with a flat outerportion, adapted to abut the facing lower surface of the table-top l inorder to define the mutual limit position between the side unit 4, 5 and6 and the table-top l, as the legs 5 are in their erected position,wherein said unit is locked to the table-top l by the pair of theaforementioned locking devices of releasable type and havingsynchronized movements.

The table can be unfolded from its folded position up to its erectedposition by a reverse process according to a still simplier manner,since to this end it is sufficient to rotate in the opposite directionthe unit 4, 5 and 6 up to its vertical position, because the lockingdevices under the effect of the springs 11 thence automatically againengage with their hooked ends 8 the hooked ends of the pieces 4.

FIG. 2 shows a table with a pair of legs already in their erectedposition, while the other pair is yet folded against the lower surfaceof the table-top l. The arrows indicate the already performed and thestill to be performed angular movements provided to bring the parts intheir operative mutual positions. Of course, other locking means couldbe also provided to secure the legs 5 against the table-top l in theirfolded position.

I claim: 1. A folding table comprising a substantially planar table tophaving a tubular longitudinal side bar extending along opposed edgesthereof, two opposed pairs of legs for supporting said table top, eachpair of legs beingsecurely braced together by a transverse beam andpivotally connected as a unit to said table top so as to fold to astored position beneath the table top, a housing inserted into the endsof said tubular longitudinal side bars, each leg of a unit pair of legsbeing pivotally connected to a housing inserted in an end of one of saidside bars by coaxial pins, and first locking means stored within eachhousing cooperating with second locking means on the upper ends of eachof said legs for preventing said leg units from pivoting about saidcoaxial pins so as to lock said leg units in an upright position tosupport said table top, said first locking means including hook arrangedat the end of an arm of a lever pivoted intermediate its length about apin in the housing having its axis parallel to the pivot axis of anadjacent unit pair of legs, the other arm of said lever being connectedto a strong spring which is so positioned to maintain said hooked arm inengagement with said second locking means which includes a cooperatinghook end provided at the upper portion of the adjacent leg, and meansfor rotating said levers against the bias of the associated springs soas to cause the mutual disengagement of the hooks on said first andsecond locking means in order to allow each unit pair of legs to beturned until they abut against the lower surface of the table top.

l I l

1. A folding table comprising a substantially planar table top having a tubular longitudinal side bar extending along opposed edges thereof, two opposed pairs of legs for supporting said table top, each pair of legs being securely braced together by a transverse beam and pivotally connected as a unit to said table top so as to fold to a stored position beneath the table top, a housing inserted into the ends of said tubular longitudinal side bars, each leg of a unit pair of legs being pivotally connected to a housing inserted in an end of one of said side bars by coaxial pins, and first locking means stored within each housing cooperating with second locking means on the upper ends of each of said legs for preventing said leg units from pivoting about said coaxial pins so as to lock said leg units in an upright position to support said table top, said first locking means including a hook arranged at the end of an arm of a lever pivoted intermediate its length about a pin in the housing having its axis parallel to the pivot axis of an adjacent unit pair of legs, the other arm of said lever being connected to a strong spring which is so positioned to maintain said hooked arm in engagement with said second locking means which includes a cooperating hook end provided at the upper portion of the adjacent leg, and means for rotating said levers against the bias of the associated springs so as to cause the mutual disengagement of the hooks on said first and second locking means in order to allow each unit pair of legs to be turned until they abut against the lower surface of the table top. 